Greene King launches campaign to get staff to quit smoking

Brewer and pub operator Greene King has launched a campaign to encourage its 16,000 workers to give up smoking in preparation for the 1 July ban in England.

The company, which runs more than 800 managed pubs across the UK, said it will donate £5 to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation for each employee who gives up smoking by 31 March and has still kicked the habit when the ban comes into force.

"We have always said that there are great opportunities around the ban," said David Elliott, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners, who is managing the group’s smoking strategy.

"One of them is in supporting staff to give up smoking. It's tough quitting the habit, but the long-term benefits to their health and pockets have got to make it worth the struggle."

Each Greene King employee in England and Wales has been given details of the NHS Smoking Helpline. 

NHS posters and leaflets are also being sent to every pub and an online register has been set up so staff can commit to quitting the habit. 

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By Daniel Thomas

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